Okay, AI mixed with some Agatha Christie vibes and a dash of dystopia? Count me in! This book was so much fun. The way this book unfolded was so great and I really hate to say anything else as not to spoil ANY of it for another reader. Thank you so much Tor & NetGalley for this ARC. Pick this up August 13, 2024!

Sadly, this one missed the mark for me. There are two timelines, which I generally enjoy in a book. However, this one didn't work for me. There is a lot of technology involved in the storyline, and the pace was uneven. When you combined those, it made for a confusing mess at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Glass Houses has to be one of the most disturbing thrillers I’ve read in some time, and I mean this as a compliment. I was interested in the idea of a glimpse of a reimagined world of the future, a downed plane and desert island with a mystery. What I didn’t count on was the romance and backstory that went with it, as well as some of the off the wall reveals.

Kristen, Chief Emotional Manager (aka Chief of Staff) has a traumatic past being a burn victim after home caught fire killing both her parents. Sumter is a tech boy wonder whose company, Wuv, was just acquired. Together they and employees of the startup are returning from a celebratory trip when they have an accident and land on a not so deserted island, as a giant futuristic home is there. But the island seems to be killing the survivors and as Kristen, and Wuv’s, backstories are explored it becomes obvious that there’s a whole lot more to the mystery than the plane crash and monolithic home.

This was just plain weird and, again, very enjoyable. There was a lot happening and a lot to keep up with (not just in orienting ones self in the world this novel takes place in but also in all the moving pieces). I was hooked throughout though, yes, the ending got a bit crazy. I’d recommend this but also acknowledge it won’t be for everyone. If you’re an adventurous reader who does like your thrillers to take place in sci fi settings then pick this one up!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy!

This book was INSANITY in the best way and I enjoyed every minute! The plot was so tense and intriguing and creepy and such a unique twist on the “and then there were none” type plot. And then alongside the storyline there is so many truthful and interesting thoughts and nods to real world themes, events, etc. the writing style was great as well. A few of the tech explanations were quite expansive at times but overall I loved this book!

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved the futuristic tech setting and the main character, Kristen, was really intriguing. And up until about 75% of the way through the book, I would've said I loved it. But then the plot took some weird turns that didn't work for me, and I really didn't understand the ending. I thought this would have more Knives Out or And Then There Were None vibes, but it mostly just confused me at the end. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC!

I was not expecting what I got in Glass houses, in a good way. It is a thriller/horror/ near sci fi story with bad people with good intentions and bad people with bad intentions. I did not expect some of the twists and I enjoyed how the story came together in the end. A fun ride.

The tech startup-charter-plane-crashes -on-remote-desert-island plot line may not be a full-fledged genre, but this novel, where people are dying throughout the book in strange circumstances -- is a great read with interesting characters, lots of conflict, and the crazy gazillionaire CEO is drawn from many sad role moderns in the modern tech lexicon, sadly. I found the ploy cloying and annoying at times, and compelling at others, but overall the novel moves along, the main character's (The Chief Emotional Officer, which is a delicious title) love affair with a mysterious VC is very realistic, and the evil AI-fuled beach house isn't all that far off from reality, given the pace of change in that department. Why do some doors and cabinets remain closed to the women that survive the plane crash but not the men? Is this some Epstein-reality universe, or is their something else afoot? You will just have to read it to find out!

What a riot this book was! Firstly this has to be the first book in a LONG while that had me enjoy the whole people-stranded-somewhere-disappearing-one-by-one trope. So Thankyou for doing it right!

Secondly, omg this book creeped me out so much because it definitely is the ‘near future’ as the author claims to be. I kept reading and just feeling like ‘yup yup this can happen in just a couple of years max!’

For those of you who don’t know, I work in tech, so trust me when I say that EVERYTHING in this book can happen.

The ending is what let me down. It felt rushed and not as planned out as the rest of the book.

If you’re in to sci-fi thrillers make sure to mark your calendars for August!

Okay my bookish friends, we have a little tough sci fi thriller to discuss: I both liked and also disliked at the same time which is making things complicated to form a fair verdict.

Firstly the book is far too intelligent that made me feel not capable enough to understand the whole scientific terminology that discussed in pages (that’s why after reading this book, I gave my approval to my husband wear his “I’m with this stupid shirt” that with an arrow pointing someone stands next to him: which is absolutely “me”) The idea of emotion-mapping-AI algorithm turning human emotions into currency is not comprehensible subject for me as a person who has even problems to fully understand the mechanics of crypto currency.

I also had really hard time to connect with Kristen Mara: the eerie heroine who is too intelligent, detached, showing sociopathic tendencies who didn’t give me anything to hold on for empathizing her and her painful, tragic childhood.

But I cannot deny, the plot line with reminiscences of Glass Onion, Lost and And Then There Were None are perfectly executed, describing ten people: a part of innovative tech company who lurched emotion-mapping-AI- algorithm survive from plane crash, finding themselves in a tropical island where a bizarre black box shaped house awaiting them to stay till somebody notices their acceptances. But just like Christie’s famous book each of them starts dying with unknown reasons that might be supernatural identities threatened the islanders or a secret psychopath targets them and this person can be one of them.

Yes the plot line of the book is intriguing which is told by the present time in island and flashbacks putting a light how Kristen, a soul survivor of a fire that has taken her family’s life, sued to the firm that created the malfunctioning fire and won it that put her in the spotlight of media stalkers. Kristen is hired as “chief emotional manager” by eccentric boyish billionaire, CEO Sumter who insists they’re two pieces of pod with similar pasts they end to sue the companies which are responsible to kill both of their parents.

We see blossoming relationship of Kristen with mysterious Antonin who keeps questioning the piling death around Kristen and we learn more about company related suicides that may lead to something more sinister.

When we return back to the present, we start questioning what’s going on in the island, why their automated piloted place did crash, who is the owner of fully-stocked black box shaped mansion on the island where none of the women can open the fridges or any drawers. Is one of them having a very dangerous secret agenda to hunt them one by one or is this another test created by Sumter and Mason?

Well, I’m rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 because of the unique definitions and original inventions in this book even though all those characters are highly irritating that I didn’t care they live or die! But as a fantasy and speculative science fiction this book stands tall from its rivals. The execution and pacing is great. That’s why I raised my grade!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sharing this smart sci-fi novel’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange of my honest thoughts.

A deliciously malignant romp of a book that, as billed, feels like the movie Glass Knives. Ashby's portrayal of the subtle and overt indignities women in tech face is acerbic, scathing and witty; an unreliable narrator makes for an exciting and surprising read.

There is real anger here (and justified), but also an engaging plot and humor. Would definitely recommend.

For fans of Glass Onion and Black Mirror, yes, and also Lost and Murder at the End of the World. What started off as a classic isolated whodunit quickly took a turn for the weird.

This novel is a well-written exploration of what it means and costs to be a woman in tech.

There are a great deal of sci-fi books that market themselves as being for fans of "Black Mirror" but honestly this is one of the few I think are deserving of the comparison.

There is a balance between the spectacular technology and the more mundane, recognizable things about tech corporations.

The protagonist is well written and strikes intrigue that kept me avidly reading.

Overall I would highly recommend to any sci-fi or thriller fans.

I received an advance copy through NetGalley.

I'll be honest: I like it when my sci-fi has some horror elements, and when it's focused on technology, I love it when it's so unsettlingly plausible and familiar that it is almost a distraction.

That being said... This book was INCREDIBLE.

The first chapters set a familiar near-future tone that's hard not to recognize... but once you settle in with the pattern of flashback chapters and present tense survival horror, the game truly begins. In a dizzying kaleidoscope of teeth-grittingly nerve wracking scenes between the startup squad who've survived a plane crash on a remote island after a huge success for the company, your journey as a reader becomes increasingly less safe, less obvious, less comfortable. But you won't be able to stop reading. You have suspicions, yes, but no proof. And what's this thing that keeps getting danced around? One reveal happens, and you're stunned. You keep going to the next reveal; a shock to your senses.

You're in it now. And you'll absolutely NEVER guess the truth. At least, not the whole truth.

My god this was disturbing. I absolutely loved it.

I’m not sure if it was the style of writing (so many similes and metaphors to describe everything), or the impractical nature of the plot and character actions choices, but this one missed the mark for me. I had a hard time understanding what was happening in the beginning, which set me off on the wrong foot. Also they got over being in a plane crash and losing coworkers REALLY fast and abruptly.

Love the cover though!

I so hate giving poor reviews on netgalley, but I have to here. I'm so lost by the other reviews. I found this book so boring, the time jumps added absolutely nothing to the story, and the climax was.. not? Not surprising at all and just meh. Written well enough that somehow it kept my d attention to keep reading, but wish I had DNFed.

This phenomenol novel is crreepy, grippy, thrilling and all too scary. I almost can't believe what I read!

I picked it up because of the summary - A group of employees and their CEO, celebrating the sale of their remarkable emotion-mapping-AI-algorithm, crash onto a not-quite-deserted tropical island.

I thought it might be fun, a little thrilling but it was absolutely and incredibly mind-blowingly scary. Kristen is our heroine and her backstory is incredibly interesting and unique. It may be why. Sumter, a very Elon-Musky, billionaire baffoonish man has hired her as his right -hand-woman. They work well together and her skill set allows her to continue to lead the team after a devastating plane crash and massive loss of life.

When they find a hotel, a mansion, or a palace filled with all of the food they need, Kristen knows there has to be more to the story. While she flashes back to her history, and her very limited life outside of the company we begin to get a better picture of who Kristen really is and what she might be able to do in this scenario

If you like Hitchcock, Highsmith, Vacations-gone-wrong or speculative fiction then this is a MAJOR GEM for you. I might just read it again now, but with the light left on.
#tor #madelineashby #glasshouse

"Glass Houses" by Madeline Ashby is a dark thriller set in the near future, teeming with advanced technology, both real and imagined. As a fan of such books, I was eager to delve into its pages.

The story follows a group of start-up team members led by their eccentric billionaire boss, CEO Sumter. They embark on a trip to celebrate the sale of their emotion-mapping AI algorithm but find themselves stranded on a deserted tropical island after their autonomous airplane crashes. Among the ten survivors are Sumter and his right-hand assistant, Kristen, who holds the position of 'chief emotional officer. On the island, they stumble upon an AI-driven mansion filled with secrets and advanced technology. While grappling with their situation and attempting to enter the house, Kristen does her best to keep tensions low and people safe.

I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, reminiscent of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," the "Big Brother" vibes, and the array of fascinating technology depicted in the story. Understanding the tech isn't necessary to enjoy the book; being a sci-fi enthusiast, I had no issue with it. The title aptly captures the essence of the book and "Glass House Effect," and the cleverly imagined dark plot keeps you on the edge of your seat as tension mounts.

The narrative unfolds through dual timelines, before and after the crash, narrated in the third person from Kristen's perspective. We come to know Kristen and several other characters intimately, although the more I learned about her, the less I found her likable. Indeed, most characters are rather unlikable, yet this didn't hinder my enjoyment of the tale or my curiosity about their survival chances.

The book delves into the depths of the human psyche, exploring themes such as PTSD, obsession, gender dynamics in male-dominated industries, the erosion of privacy in the age of social media, and the ramifications of broadcasting one's life to the world. I don't have a smart home system in my home, and after reading this book I won't get one...

My only grievances with the book were the occasional unrealistic behaviors of the survivors, the petty quarrels, and a few awkward descriptions and imagery (such as those concerning bandages) that neither made sense nor added to the story; The book is better off without them. Nevertheless, I found the book enjoyable and rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to fans of the genre seeking an original albeit dark read.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

I read science fiction very rarely, but this one was calling my name.

Starting off with a bang… uh.. plane crash, we meet a group of people who’ve created an AI startup as they find themselves stranded on an island. Luckily they find a state of the art house, fully stocked and fully abandoned…

This was smart people doing really, ridiculous, stupid stuff. We have one person trying to keep the peace, but at what cost?!? This was fast paced and incredibly entertaining.

A plane crash on a deserted island. A strange glass house. Survivors are disappearing. This is the set up for this fast paced near future thriller.
An entertaining page turner. 4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.


I

It's the near future, and a plane full of tech start-up employees has crashed on an abandoned island. Well, abandoned except for the huge tech-mansion whose door only opens when a man touches it.

Wait, back up. It's the nearer future, and Kristen works for a Canadian tech start-up which is trying to sell some impossible to make design that involves monetizing human emotion. Her boss is in love with her, her coworkers are suspicious of her, and she's hooking up with a spy who she occasionally meets in other countries. The planet is dying, and so are plenty of other people.

Wait, back up again. It's a very near future, and Kristen has survived the house fire that killed her parents. It was started when her father's bitcoin business hit big, overloading his basement set-up. Even in the hospital, Kristen is hounded by her family's fans and foes. Lots of people are influencers in this future, and Kristen has been one against her will all of her life. She has PTSD around surveillance and entrapment.

Pretty great concept for a thriller, which is absolutely what this is no matter what marketing you've seen. I only gave it four stars because I'm tired of people getting away with things that nobody should get away with. Then again, even though Kristen is not a great person and neither is anybody else in this book, I was rooting for her to win.